The effects of television and the family
Posted by · CommentsBefore television, people spent their time at home in wholesome activities. Families worked together, played together, went on picnics or to the lake, took pleasure rides through the country, strolled through the woods and fields. At supper they gathered at the table and talked. On a stormy day or in a quiet evening family conversation might go on for hours.
People carried on many arts and crafts, from woodworking to needlework. When we look at things made generations ago by our ancestors, we are amazed at their skill and resourcefulness. Most people today are doing well if they can change a light bulb safely.
Every home in days past had musical instruments, cherished for the simple pleasure they could afford during hours of leisure. Most people liked to sing, and they knew a great variety of songs.
Until recently, most people pursued hobbies. When I was young, I collected stamps, coins, rocks, leaves, baseball cards, postcards, and books. A visit to the county fair always showed me that other people had better collections than I did. A popular hobby for men was gardening, often carried on with a passionate zeal to raise the best of a certain kind of flower or vegetable. Many women raised their work in the kitchen to hobby status. By devoting much time to preparing certain specialties, they won the acclaim of family and friends.
Today, television has captured our minds and eyes. The things that brought families together are now a hindrance.
Well, television is still the greatest way of communicating with millions of people at the same time.
June 29, 2009, 9 a.m. The Harvest Show, South Bend, IN will interview me to discuss my new published book, Before, After, And Beyond Bankruptcy and its effect - psychological, financially, emotionally, spiritually and physically http://www.babbankruptcy.com
Kenyan chicken curry
Posted by · CommentsKenyan Chicken Curry
[Serves 6]
Marinade:
20 grams grated fresh ginger
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
¼ cup lemon juice
40ml oil
1 teaspoon ground cumin
3 teaspoons garam masala
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon chilli flakes
70 grams yoghurt
1 kg skinless chicken thigh fillets, cut into chunks
Curry:
40ml oil
600 grams brown onions, chopped coarsely
2 teaspoons chilli powder
2 teaspoons ground fenugreek
20 grams grated fresh ginger
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
2 x 400 grams cans crushed tomatoes
1 cinnamon stick
2 long green chillies, chopped finely
¼ cup lemon juice
300ml cream
1 tablespoon honey
¼ cup fresh coriander, coarsely chopped
Make the marinade:
Place the marinade ingredients into a bowl and stir well to combine. Add the chicken, mix thoroughly to ensure they are well coated. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Cook Chicken:
Preheat oven to 240°C.
Place the chicken into a lightly oiled dish and bake, uncovered for 10 minutes.
Make Curry:
Heat the oil in a large pan (a wok works well). Add the onions, chilli powder, fenugreek, ginger, garlic and turmeric. Stir well and cook until the onions soften.
Add the tomatoes, cinnamon stick, green chillies and lemon juice. Simmer, covered for 10 minutes.
Add the cream and honey, stirring well and simmer, uncovered for 5 minutes.
Add the chicken to the curry; simmer until the chicken is cooked, about 5 - 10 minutes.
Remove from the heat before stirring in the fresh coriander.
HAPPY FATHER’S DAY
Posted by · CommentsFather’s Day is a celebration inaugurated in the early twentieth century to complement Mother’s Day in celebrating fatherhood and male parenting, and to honor and commemorate fathers and forefathers. Father’s Day is celebrated on a variety of dates worldwide and typically involves gift-giving, special dinners to fathers, and family -oriented activities.
The first observance of Father’s Day is believed to have been held on July 5, 1908 in a church located in Fairmont, West Virginia, by Dr. Robert Webb of West Virginia at the Williams Memorial Methodist Episcopal Church South of Fairmont. The church still exists under the name of Central United Methodist Church.
Statistics shows that many children are growing today without fathers or male figures in their lives. What are the long negative effects?
My father died when I was twelve and watched my mother struggle to raise twelve children alone. She never remarried which is a cultural norm. When a woman looses her husband through death, she is expected by society to remain single, raise her children and be productive in the society. Watching my own life after a short marriage of eighteen months, I raised my children alone and never remarried. There are times I have wondered what would have been. My girls are grown now. They will probably share the effects of absent father, but I had very loving and caring brothers and cousins who literally raised them. The question that comes to mind is: The Doting Father; The Distant Father; The Demanding/Supportive Father; the Domineering Father; the Abusive Father; The Absent Father. Which one would be best for a child to grow up with?
Economy & Bride Price
Posted by · CommentsA Bride Price? Is it an insult to women, a burden to men, or economic bailout?
Just as the wedding ring symbolizes unity between two people, the bride price is a symbol of unity between two families. Bride price injects a sense of accountability into a marriage, giving both families a stake in it. This helps to create strong marriages and good beginning for communication and relationships. It’s a gesture to the bride’s parents that you cherish your wife-to-be and is also a sign of appreciation to them for allowing you to marry their daughter. This practice is slowly becoming obsolete because it was preserved for virgins, which is no longer the case these days. Bride price is acceptable so long as it is reasonable. The key word is moderation. It should be a token of appreciation and not a price tag, since no woman can be sold.
It feels like it was yesterday, though it is over twenty years ago when my bride price was negotiated. My father not being alive, my uncle assumed the role of a father. The bride price asked then was Kenya shillings thirty thousand (today, that would be 1 million Kenya shillings, one thousand four hundred US dollars) (equivalent of four hundred US dollars). My bride price today 2009 would be twenty eight thousand US dollars ($28,000.00)
In many African countries, bride price or dowry was revered as a symbol of sincerity and good faith that brought together the bride’s and groom’s families. Traditionally, the prospective husband is expected to give a certain amount of money and goods, including cattle, goats, blankets or cowrie shells before a marriage is agreed or not agreed.
Bride price is traditionally sacred to African culture. It brings respect, honor and dignity to women and their families. But in some cases it is derided as a means to enrich a bride’s family or a license for a man to treat a woman as a “purchased” good.
Bride price maintains respect for women, and represents an open acknowledgement of women as valuable members of society. Bride price is the official rubber stamp of marriage. Modernization cannot deprive an old customary practice of its genuineness. Dowry is a sign of love and respect for both families, abuse of that custom is unacceptable. Bride price can even be anything as little as ten US dollars. Thus, bride price is really, a symbol of a union between two families, and a gesture of sincerity and good faith.
In Africa, it is still practiced extensively and known as “lobola” in the Southern parts of the continent, “mahari” in East Africa or “wine-carrying” among tribes in West Africa, and “Ayie” among the Luos in Kenya.
The world would be better off if for once it learned from Africa and made marriage more meaningful. It would be great to end the despicable way of life where wives are extremely easy to find, and equally easy to dispose of.
Before Africans start discarding their traditions, they had better take a glance at the Western world first. Just look at the dismal state of marriage in the West today, and think again about abandoning your traditions! Bride price is the ultimate symbol of marriage. Whether it is a ring, a house, or a couple of cows; a man in any culture has to prove his worth in one way or another to both the woman and her family. The dowry is one of the first signs that he is capable of working hard and sacrificing to provide for his potential family. Women feel honored by this.
Bride price or “wine carrying” as it is known in my part of Africa cannot be considered a burden to men or an insult to women. It is a way of putting the suitor to test as to his ability to take care of the wife-to-be, and eventually, children. In my community we are proud as men to show our in-laws that apart from being of age and emotionally fit, we are materially able to support our new family. Modern life has distorted the real meaning of bride price. The huge amounts of money parents ask for these days play a role in the domestic abuses that visit our marital homes. Parents are using this as an opportunity to get rich and make up for money that they couldn’t make elsewhere. Also, the more education a woman has, the more bride price is expected.
President’s commitment to Immigrants
Posted by · CommentsWASHINGTON – President Barack Obama says he is committed to a comprehensive immigration overhaul that includes a way that illegal immigrants can become U.S. citizens.
Obama told a gathering of Hispanics on Friday that U.S. borders must be strengthened to thwart illegal immigration.
He said the millions of people who are now in the U.S. illegally should have the chance to become citizens. He said they must pay a fine and taxes, learn English and “go to the back of the line” of people trying to enter the United States from their home country.
He said employers should not be allowed to exploit illegal immigrants to drive down wages.
Obama made his remarks at the Esperanza National Hispanic Prayer Breakfast and Conference.
Hopefully, this will also help those people who came to the US by air, legally, became illegal, for the long awaited processes of their immigration papers.
Culture knows no bounds
Posted by · CommentsWatching Stephen Colbert report in Baghdad, Iraq, and had his hair cut short shows a lot of courage and support for American troops. People who are not in the military or have been away from their homes and loved ones may never totally understand what it means to be away from home. Having someone come and visit like Stephen Colbert did may lift the hearts of our troops for their entire service until they return home. Culture knows no bounds. The attitudes, values, beliefs, and behaviors shared by these groups of people may be different as individuals, but they have worked together as a team for a common peace of mankind. It is our prayer and support that they all come back home safely. Bravo, US troops!
